Richmond and El Cerrito observe Memorial Day at the SS Red Oak Victory

El Cerrito and Richmond collaborated Monday to observe Memorial Day at a first-ever ceremony Monday at the historic ship SS Red Oak Victory in the Port of Richmond that included the dedication of a Blue Star Memorial By-way marker by the El Cerrito Garden Club and the Richmond Museum of History.
Officials from both cities, representatives of the local National Park Service and county Supervisor John Gioia attended.

Friends congratulate longtime El Cerrito resident Esther Sargent of the El Cerrito Garden Club as the Blue Star memorial marker is dedicated in her honor Monday at the SS Red Oak Victory in Richmond.

Jun Simundo leads the audience in singing “America the Beautiful” at the first-ever Memorial Day at the SS Red Oak Victory in Richmond on May 28, 2012.

The marker at the SS Red Oak Victory is the third dedicated by the El Cerrito Garden Club. The first was at City Hall in El Cerrito and the second was in that city's Arlington Park.